2002 HONDA CIVIC warning

To remove a head restraint f or
cleaning or repair, pull it up as f ar as
it will go. Push the release button
and pull the restraint out of the seat-
back.
The f ront head restraints adjust f or
height. You need both hands to
adjust the restraint. Do not attempt
to adjust it while driving. To raise it,
pull upward. To lower the restraint,
push the release button sideways
and push the restraint down.
The f ront head restraints help
protect you and your passenger f rom
whiplash and other injuries. They are
most ef f ective when you adjust them
so the back of the occupant’s head
rests against the center of the
restraint. A taller person should
adjust the restraint as high as
possible.
See page f or important saf ety
inf ormation and a warning about how toproperly position the head restraints. 16
Head Restraints
Seat A djustments
Inst rument s and Cont rols90
RREELLEEAASSEEBBUUTTTTOONN

µCheck your tires
f requently f or wear and proper
pressure. Both are important in
preventing ‘‘hydroplaning’’ (loss of
traction on a wet surface). In the
winter, mount snow tires on all f our
wheels f or the best handling.
Watch road conditions caref ully,
they can change f rom moment to
moment. Wet leaves can be as slip-
pery as ice. ‘‘Clear’’ roads can have
patches of ice. Driving conditions
can be very hazardous when the
outside temperature is near f reezing.
The road surf ace can become
covered with areas of water puddles
mixed with areas of ice, so your
traction can change without warning.
Be caref ul when downshif ting. If
traction is low, you can lock up the
drive wheels f or a moment and cause
askid. Be very cautious when passing, or
beingpassedbyothervehicles.The
spray f rom large vehicles reduces
your visibility, and the wind buf f eting
can cause you to lose control.Your vehicle is not designed to tow a
trailer. Attempting to do so can void
your warranties.
Driving in Bad Weather, Towing a Trailer
Driving
Towing a Trailer
Traction
193

´ µ
µ
´
To remove the reserve tank to
drain the coolant, f irst remove the
battery. Put the tube back in the clips and
put the reserve tank back in place,
making sure its bottom tab is in
the holder. Reinstall and tighten
the mounting bolt securely.
Reinstall the tray, battery, stay,
battery case, and battery plate in
the reverse order of removal.
Reinstall and tighten the bolt and
nut securely.
Reconnect the battery cables to
the terminals. Connect the positive
( ) cable f irst, then the negative
()cable.
Battery posts,
terminals and related accessories
contain lead and lead compounds.
Disconnect the battery cables
f rom the terminals. Disconnect
the negative ( ) cable first, then
the positive ( ) cable.
Remove the bolt and the nut with
a wrench, and remove the battery
plate. Pull the bottom end of the
stay out of the hole, and remove
the stay and the battery cover. Remove the battery and the tray.
Remove the reserve tank
mounting bolt with a wrench, then
remove the coolant tube f rom the
three clips. Remove the reserve
tank f rom its holder and drain the
coolant into an appropriate
container.
4.
6. 7.
5. 8. 9.
10.
Cooling Syst em
Maint enance
WARNING:
Wash hands af ter handling.
216
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CCOOVVEERR
SSTTAAYY
BBOOLLTTNNUUTTPPLLAATTEE

Check the battery terminals for
corrosion (a white or yellowish
powder). To remove it, cover the
terminals with a solution of baking
soda and water. It will bubble up and
turn brown. When this stops, wash it
of f with plain water. Dry of f the
battery with a cloth or paper towel.
Coat the terminals with grease to
help prevent f uture corrosion.
Check the battery condition by
looking at the test indicator window
on the battery.
The label on the battery explains the
test indicator’s colors.
Check the condition of your car’s
battery monthly. You should check
the color of the test indicator window,
and f or corrosion on the terminals.
Battery posts,
terminals and related accessories
contain lead and lead compounds.
Battery
Maint enance
WARNING:
Wash hands af ter handling.
230
TTEESSTTIINNDDIICCAATTOORRWWIINNDDOOWW

If you have a f lat tire while driving,
stop in a saf e place to change it.
Stopping in traf f ic or on the shoulder
of a busy road is dangerous. Drive
slowly along the shoulder until you
gettoanexitoranareatostopthat
is far away from the traffic lanes.Park the car on f irm, level and
non-slippery ground away f rom
traffic. Put the transmission in
Park (automatic) or Reverse
(manual). Apply the parking brake.
Turn on the hazard warning lights
and turn the ignition switch to
LOCK (0). Have all the
passengers get out of the car while
you change the tire.Open the trunk. Raise the trunk
f loor mat and the trunk f loor by
lif ting up on the back edge.
Take the tool kit out of the trunk.
Unscrew the wing bolt and take
the spare tire out of its well.
5.
4.
3.
2.
1.
CONT INUED
Changing a Flat T ire
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed267
SSPPAARREETTIIRREETTRRUUNNKKFFLLOOOORR
TTOOOOLLKKIITTJJAACCKK
The car can easily roll off the
jack, seriously injuring anyoneunderneath.
Follow the directions for
changing a tire exactly, and
never get under the car when it
is supported only by the jack.

If youfindnothingwrong,youwill
need a qualif ied technician to f ind
the problem. Seeon page .
In this case, the starter motor’s
speed sounds normal, or even f aster
than normal, when you turn the
ignition switch to START (III), but
the engine does not run.
Your car has the Immobilizer
System. You should use a
properly-coded master or valet key
to start the engine (see page ).
A key that is not properly coded
will cause the immobilizer system
indicator in the dash panel to blink
rapidly.
Are you using the proper starting
procedure? Ref er to on page . Do you have f uel? Turn the
ignition switch to ON (II) for a
minute and watch the f uel gauge.
The low f uel level warning light
may not be working, so you were
not reminded to f ill the tank.
There may be an electrical
problem, such as no power to the
f uel pump. Check all the f uses
(see page ).
78
179 286
290
If Your Engine Won’t Start
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
Emergency
Towing
T he Starter Operates Normally
Starting the
Engine
273

CONT INUED
Saf ely pull to the side of the road.
Put the transmission in Neutral or
Park, and set the parking brake.
Turn of f the heating and cooling
system and all other accessories.
Turn on the hazard warning
indicators.
If you see steam and/or spray
coming f rom under the hood, turn
of f the engine.If you do not see steam or spray,
leave the engine running and
watch the temperature gauge. If
the high heat is due to overloading
(climbing a long, steep hill on a
hot day with the A/C running, f or
example), the engine should start
to cool down almost immediately.
If it does, wait until the tempera-
ture gauge comes down to the mid-
point then continue driving.
If the temperature gauge stays at
the red mark, turn of f the engine.
Wait until you see no more signs
of steam or spray, then open thehood.Look f or any obvious coolant leaks,
such as a split radiator hose.
Everything is still extremely hot,
so use caution. If you f ind a leak, it
must be repaired bef ore you
continue driving (see
on page ).
If you don’t f ind an obvious leak,
check the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank (see page ). If the level is below the
MIN mark, add coolant to halfway
between the MIN and MAX marks.
1. 2.
3. 4. 5.6. 7.
290
169
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
If Your Engine Overheats
Emergency
Towing
277

This indicator should light when the
ignition switch is ON (II), and go out
af ter the engine starts. It should
never come on when the engine is
running. If it starts f lashing, it
indicates that the oil pressure
dropped very low f or a moment, then
recovered. If the indicator stays on
with the engine running, it shows
that the engine has lost oil pressure
and serious engine damage is
possible. In either case, you should
take immediate action.Saf ely pull of f the road and shut
of f the engine. Turn on the hazard
warning indicators.
If necessary, add oil to bring the
level back to the full mark on the
dipstick (see page ).
Letthecarsitforaminute.Open
the hood and check the oil level
(see page ). Although oil level
and oil pressure are not directly
connected, an engine that is very
low on oil can lose pressure during
cornering and other driving
maneuvers. Start the engine and watch the oil
pressure indicator. If the light
does not go out within ten seconds,
turn of f the engine. There is a
mechanical problem that needs to
be repaired bef ore you can
continue driving. (See
on page .)
1. 2. 3. 4.
168 209 290
L ow Oil Pressure Indicator
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
Emergency
Towing
279
LLOOWWOOIILLPPRREESSSSUURREEIINNDDIICCAATTOORR
Running the engine with low oil
pressure can cause serious mechanical
damage almost immediately. Turn of f
the engine as soon as you can saf ely get
the car stopped.